


Feeding a Village

by TakingOverMidnight3482



Series: Julie and the Phantoms One-Shots: Ghostly Mishaps [15]
Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Found Family, Gen, Ghost Reveal, Victoria doesn't get enough love in this fandom, she just wants to feed everyone whats so wrong with that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:49:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27428962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TakingOverMidnight3482/pseuds/TakingOverMidnight3482
Summary: Julie swallowed. “He can’t shake your hand,” she finally said.Victoria scoffed and let her hand drop. “Why not? And don’t you dare say ‘because they’re holograms,’ young lady, I don’t see your equipment anywhere in here.”Julie’s smile was weak. “They’re ghosts?”
Relationships: Julie Molina & Aunt Victoria
Series: Julie and the Phantoms One-Shots: Ghostly Mishaps [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1925116
Comments: 32
Kudos: 555





	Feeding a Village

**Author's Note:**

> We don't have a lot on Victoria so I'm very much going based on the few things we do have: she's strong willed, has a passion for taking care of her family, and is very spiritual. 
> 
> Anyway here's a nonsense fic to take everyone's minds off the current....EVERYTHING that's happening. Set after the last fic in this series, but you don't need to read it for it to make sense. Just know that Ray, Carlos, and Flynn can all see and hear the guys.

It was official.

Her dead sister’s house was haunted by demons. Probably. Most likely.

Look, Victoria was a very spiritual person. She believed in heaven and hell, she prayed at night, and she tried her best to do good wherever she could.

But until the blinds started flickering in the living room, she’d never considered ghosts.

People just…didn’t become ghosts, okay? Everyone moved on. Because if they didn’t move on, then that meant they were in limbo for the rest of eternity. And Victoria absolutely refused to believe that her sister – the kindest, most gentle person she’d ever known in her life – wouldn’t move on to heaven.

So demons.

Probably.

It took Victoria a couple weeks after the Sheet Incident, as she was calling it in her head, to go back into the Molina household.

The first visit was merely to make sure they were eating something other than spaghetti. To her surprise, she found them sitting down at the table with a massive pan of lasagna and, strangely enough, five additional place settings at the table.

“Are you having a party?” she asked, setting down the dish she’d prepared out of caution on the kitchen island.

Julie coughed on her water, and Ray tapped his chest with his fist a couple times before answering. “Um. No, not quite. Some of Julie’s friends have been coming over frequently, so I’ve just been keeping the table extended like this.”

Victoria had known Ray for a long time. Nearly 27 years. Long enough to know when he was lying. And he wasn’t lying to her, but he certainly wasn’t telling the truth, either. She didn’t press it – if Julie was having friends aside from Flynn over again (bless her soul, of course, Victoria adored that child), she wasn’t about to stop her. “Mind if I take a spot then, since they’re not here tonight?”

Carlos gestured to the seat next to him. “We made an extra one for you anyway, Tía!”

And…well, that made her heart warm. And it made the prospect of demons in the house a little less bothersome.

~~

Julie was practicing in the garage. Victoria had stopped by to drop off some flyers for music venues around town that were hosting open mic nights – she kept her eyes out for them, okay? – and she knew Ray and Carlos were at one of Carlos’ baseball practices.

She left the flyers on the counter and ventured out to the garage, curious about how one practiced with a hologram band – did they use Skype? Zoom? A cell phone call? How expensive was a call to Sweden, anyhow? Weren’t they several hours ahead of them in time? Or was it behind?

Victoria shook her head and took the back steps with care – she’d slipped down them once, and it wasn’t a spill she wanted to repeat.

They were playing a song that Victoria hadn’t heard before – she caught the words “butterflies and glitter” and she smiled, not wanting to interrupt before they were done. She stood for a moment, just listening. It was remarkable, really, how much it sounded like the drums and guitar were actually there. The quality of technology had really skyrocketed since Victoria was a kid and couldn’t figure out how to rewind her Walkman without tangling the cassette tape.

As the sound started to fade out, she heard Flynn pipe up. “That was great! I feel like you should try the bit on the chorus again. The second time through, I think we need more bass.”

A guy’s laugh rang out, high pitched and delighted. “THANK you, Flynn. I always think we need more bass.”

Victoria figured she should step in now, so they didn’t have to stop again, and she pushed the doors open. “G’morning, mija, I heard you practicing and I thought-”

She froze, hands on the doors and eyes drifting over the very _real_ boys standing in front of her. The one behind the drums had frozen, sticks mid-hit, and Julie was already standing from her keyboard, the shaggy looking guitarist next to her with his pick dangling. The one in plaid, who was playing a bass guitar – Victoria assumed he was the one who had been speaking to Flynn – was the only one still plucking at his strings, though he looked like he was doing it more out of nerves than anything.

Victoria opened her mouth, and then shut it again, looking at Julie sternly. “Julie Molina, does your father know you have three boys from _Sweden_ in the garage?”

Julie blinked rapidly, her eyes darting to the bassist and down to his guitar. “Um. Yes?” she squeaked.

And…it wasn’t a lie. Victoria had known her long enough to know that she was telling the truth. Still, she huffed. “Really? He’s perfectly fine leaving you all alone with three boys?”

“Flynn’s here!” Julie countered, pointing at her friend, who was standing from the couch and staring at Victoria with wide eyes, like she’d never seen her before. “And I promise he knows. Um. Are you staying long?”

“Yes,” Victoria said, because she was now more determined than ever to stay and watch rehearsal. Sue her, she was protective of her niece and nephew. She walked towards the bassist, who was still playing for some reason. Stuck her hand out and looked him in the eyes. “But we haven’t been introduced. My name is Victoria, I’m Julie and Carlos’ aunt.”

The bassist swallowed visibly, his eyes flickering to her outstretched hand. “Um. Reggie,” he said with a weak smile.

He didn’t take her hand, and Victoria kept it out. The guitarist by Julie spoke up, his voice squeaking. “I-I’m Luke! A-And that’s Alex!” he said, pointing at the drummer, who waved with a stick in his hand.

“Nice to meet you,” Victoria said, not taking her gaze off of Reggie, who still hadn’t moved to take her hand. “Did your parents not teach you boys manners?”

Reggie looked over Victoria’s shoulder at Julie, his gaze helpless. When Victoria looked back, Julie had the same look on her face. “Well?”

Julie swallowed. “He can’t shake your hand,” she finally said.

Victoria scoffed and let her hand drop. “Why not? And don’t you dare say ‘because they’re holograms,’ young lady, I don’t see your equipment anywhere in here.”

Julie’s smile was weak. “They’re ghosts?”

Victoria’s thoughts jumped back to the Sheet Incident, but she shook it off. “Right. Ghosts. Carlos said he got rid of the ghost. Some…French guy. Or something.”

Julie lifted a shoulder in a half shrug, her smile a little more sheepish now. “He was wrong. I’m serious, Tía. They’re ghosts. Flynn can back me up. So can Dad and Carlos.”

Her fingers moved over the piano keys a little, taking up a tune, and before Victoria could ask, Reggie stopped playing his bass, finally. Stuck a hand out, with a weak grin, his eyes glittering. “Sorry for scaring you with the sheet, Tía.”

And that…she didn’t even need to shake his hand to know that her fingers would sink through it. No one had been with her and Carlos that night in the house, and as far as she knew, Carlos hadn’t mentioned the specifics to anyone. Still, she was nothing if not stubborn, as Rose always liked to say, so she put her hand out regardless.

Her fingers slipped through his, and the world tilted.

~~

When she came to, she was lying on the couch in the garage with Julie at her side and Flynn behind her, talking on the phone. The boys were nowhere in sight. When Julie saw her wake up, she straightened, gripping Victoria’s hand. “Tía,” she said, relieved. “How’s your head?”

Victoria sat up slowly, rubbing the back of her head with a grimace. “Fine, fine. Did I hit it hard?”

Julie shook her head. “No. Flynn grabbed you before you really hit the floor, I just wanted to make sure it was okay.” She turned back to Flynn, giving her a thumbs up, and Flynn’s shoulders slumped.

“She’s okay, Mr. Molina,” Flynn said, and that was all Victoria heard before turning back to Julie.

“Your band…they-?”

“Are ghosts,” Julie confirmed softly, squeezing her hand. Her eyes were focused on the floor. “Sorry I didn’t tell you. I didn’t tell Dad or Carlos until after the Orpheum…well, Carlos figured it on his own. So did Dad, kinda. I was planning to tell you at some point, I just…wasn’t sure how,” she said with a shrug.

“A-And where are they now?” Victoria asked, swinging her legs slowly over the edge of the couch. “Why could I see them?”

Julie lifted a hand, pointing. “Alex is still at the drums,” she said, letting her finger drift as she spoke. “Reggie is against the wall, there, and Luke is on the piano bench. They wanted to make sure you were okay.”

She paused, eyes on the wall, and a grin slid over her face. “Reggie says he’s sorry for scaring you. Twice.”

Victoria forced down the wave of dizziness and ran a hand over her eyes. “Right. So…no demons, then?”

“No demons,” Julie confirmed. “At least, as far as I know. And as far as they know.”

Victoria frowned, eyes on the ground between their feet now. “And…and your mother?” she finally managed to ask, looking up at Julie.

Julie’s smile fell, and Victoria kicked herself for even asking. Of course Rose wasn’t here. Julie would have said something, would have told her that first. Before she could say anything, Victoria lifted a hand and cupped her cheek, running her thumb over her cheekbone. “Sorry, love. You didn’t answer my question. How on earth…?”

Julie snorted. “It’s a long story.”

Victoria tucked her skirt around her knees and leaned back, looking between the three places where Julie had said the band was. “I certainly have time.”

~~

So the Molina household was not, in fact, overrun with demons (as far as anyone knew). It was, however, haunted by ghosts. Or, Victoria had reasoned with herself, not really haunted, seeing as the boys could leave whenever they wanted and weren’t bound to the place.

Still, walking in for dinner and seeing the bread basket moving through the air by itself was a little nerve wracking at first. After two or three weeks, it was easier, but she still jumped every time something moved without warning.

Even more appalling, however-

“What do you _mean_ , they can’t eat?” Victoria demanded, the massive, piping pan of enchiladas balanced precariously in her hands as she eased her way through the front door. “I made extra!”

Julie was smiling, and Victoria could tell she was trying not to laugh, because she had the same look Rose always did when she was trying not to. “Tía, they’re ghosts. Why would you think they could eat?”

Victoria set the pan down in the center of the table with a huff, shucking the potholders off her hands and onto the empty space in front of what had become her chair. She picked them up and walked them over to the kitchen island so they’d be out of the way. “I don’t know!” she admitted, walking around to grab the silverware. “Those boys are so thin though, Reggie especially. Honey, you need some _meat_ on your bones, love, I-”

When she stood back up, all three boys were giggling, leaning against one another and watching her fondly. She paused, looked at their hands, and then looked over at Julie. “You’re not playing music, mija.”

Julie tilted her head. “No? Should I be?”

Victoria set the forks down on the island hard enough to hurt, pointing her free finger directly at the boys. “Why can I _see them_?”

The grins fell off their faces abruptly, and Julie’s head swiveled between them and Victoria so fast it was nearly a blur. “You can _see_ them?” she repeated, voice filled with surprise.

Victoria swallowed, fingers shaking, and forced herself to calm down. “Your father and Carlos can see them, yes?”

Julie nodded, still looking lost. “Flynn too,” she said, sounding mystified. “How-?”

Victoria didn’t have answers for her niece, and clearly she didn’t have them for her, either. So she decided that, for the moment, the only thing she could do was roll with it. She looked at the boys and gave a tentative smile. “I’m sorry you can’t eat.”

“They smell really, really good,” Reggie said, giving her one of his very enthusiastic grins.

Alex's smile was just as warm. “It’s the thought that counts, Tía.”

Her grin grew a little and she shook her head, reaching back into the drawer for the knives. “Julie, grab the plates, set the table. Your father and Carlos will be back any moment from practice, and we apparently have some explaining to do.”

As Julie moved around the kitchen, passing the silverware off to Alex and the cups off to Luke, Reggie laying down napkins, Victoria could only cross her arms and shake her head in slight awe.

It was all well and good, she supposed, that it was _just_ ghosts in the house, and nothing else. And it also meant that they couldn’t be like the gross teenage boys that she had grown up with – she had little to worry about with Julie, of course; that girl was just as bull headed as her mother. Still, it was reassuring to know that the boys in her niece's band were so genuinely polite and kind.

And now that she could, apparently, see them and hear them, with no rhyme or reason behind the sudden occurrence?

She was going to figure out how to feed them if it killed her. 

**Author's Note:**

> (Yes, the implication is that she started caring for and loving the boys and so through the power of love yada yada she could see them)


End file.
